Prelude to Tragedy
by Dakk Tribal
Summary: Prequel to 'Lament of Innocence' / Leon and his fiance Sara go to visit their close friend Mathias, who gives them a very grim warning / Leon and Sara fluff and some creepy elements


**A/N:** The first time I have ever done a Castlevania fan-fic, and it is about my favorite game in the series.

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Clouds were forming in the sky, covering the sun from shinning its happy rays down on the earth, and the cold autumn air soon prevailed.  
Leon Belmont knocked on the door that led to a certain chamber, knocking lightly, "Sara? Almost ready?"

He opened the door, and sitting at her vanity was his soon-to-be-wife, brushing her hair. She was already dressed in the light blue and white gown he had given her weeks before. She had always wanted to wear it, and now she got the chance for their little trip this afternoon. Still looking in the mirror, Sara spoke "Sorry Leon, I was going to say come in but you seemed eager to do so yourself."

Leon felt a little ashamed of himself for jumping into the room without consent but he'd get over it. "I apologize."

Sara stood up, beginning to put her hair up in the braids she was well known for, "And yes, I am just about ready." She walked on over to her table, where a bouquet of roses were. "I picked these for Mathias, I hope he will appreciate them."

"He will. I know it."

"I forget how close you two are at times. He's such a great man and friend."

Leon walked on up to his fiance, "He is a great friend. I don't know if I'd be alive today if it weren't for him." He owed Mathias a great deal. He had helped him in learning and rising in the ranks in the military. And on a more personal note he was also the first one to support the proposal Leon made to Sara. That was something Leon was sure he'd never be able to repay.

However...

"He's been really sick ever since..." Leon tried to say, but couldn't bring himself to finish.

Sara knew what he meant but didn't finish for him. Mathias wasn't just ill because of a sickness. It was also out of grief that he was bedridden. His wife, Elizabetha, had died not too long ago due to illness. Her death devastated Mathias, he adored Elizabetha and had devoted his heart and soul to her. Out of respect, neither Leon nor Sara ever spoke about her around Mathias.

The scent of the freshly picked roses got to her nose and shook the silence, "We'd better get these to him before they begin to wilt."  
Leon was brought out of his daze of grief and instead found himself in another. His fiance, the woman he loved with all his heart, stood with a smile on her face as well as holding the bouquet in her hands much like a bride would on her wedding day. This picture of supreme serenity reminded him of the fact that the wedding between him and Sara was tomorrow.

"By the way, I made sure you will get the flowers you wanted for tomorrow," Leon said, coming up to Sara from behind, putting his arms around her waist.

Sara smiled, "I also have the perfect dress ready as well."

Resting his chin in the space where her neck met her shoulder, Leon kissed the smooth skin of her neck, in his mind thanking the Almighty for giving this woman to him to treasure. He wouldn't know what he'd do if he hadn't met her.

He couldn't see it, but Sara was enjoying herself immensely. But as much as she wanted to melt in Leon's embrace, there was a more important matter to attend to. "As much as I love that Leon, we have all night tomorrow for this," she said and he pulled back. "Mathias comes first."

Feeling a bit disappointed, Leon managed to let Sara go from his grip. "Right. We'll go see him."

"Then we'll have an early night, so we're ready for tomorrow," Sara turned and faced him, kissing him on the softly on the lips. "I love you."  
Leon returned the kiss with his own, "I love you too, Sara."

Leon and Sara left their home and made it to Castle Cronqvist not too long after that. The soon to be Lord and Lady Belmont were on a good will visit for a friend who had fallen ill with something foul. Leon's good friend Mathias had been bedridden for quite some time, but because of his duties to his company in the East, Leon had to wait until he was given leave. He had since returned to his domain, where Sara had greeted him excitedly. Of course, his leave couldn't have come any sooner. His wedding with Sara was only three days after he was supposed to return, and he thanked God that there had not been any delays in the travel. It would have saddened him greatly, as well as Sara he believed.

He spent the first night in his castle with her. Well, it was really his castle until the day of their wedding, where Sara Trantoul would become Lady Belmont. A girl of lower status compared to Leon, that didn't stop the two from falling madly in love despite the other nobles' opinions of Sara. She was a farmer's girl, neither a noble or someone considered for a nobleman, not someone Leon should be seen with. Leon didn't care. He certainly didn't even when he asked for her hand in marriage.

"You sure he will be awake? We are here without prior notice after all," Sara said, holding her gift for Mathias, a bouquet of red roses, in her hands. She had picked them herself, since she knew that Leon would like them for his friend. Her consideration for others was one of the traits Leon loved about her. He swore had the heart of an angel.

"I've known Mathias for as long as I can remember. He won't be beaten by whatever plagues him, he's too strong for that," Leon answered, putting his left arm around Sara's waist as they approached the bedroom door of Mathias. Leon knocked, not too loud.

Footsteps could be heard from the other side, the door opened a crack, the face of one of the maids could be seen. He eyes went wide, "Lord Belmont?! What are you-"

"We're here to see Lord Cronqvist. Is he awake?"

"H-He is my lord, but he has had trouble speaking, so he may not be able to respond to you," she said, pushing the door open all the way.  
Mathias lay in his bed on his back, the covers up to his chest. He looked comfortable, but his face was unearthly pale. He appeared to be really ill.

The maid led the two into the room, bringing Sara to a chair while Leon stood next to the bed. Mathias's eyes opened and they went to his friend.

"Mathias, old friend," Leon said, sounding happy to see his comrade and friend but also sad to see him in such a state. He knew Mathias as a warrior who had never been beaten in battle, and to be at the mercy of something they couldn't fight with a sword hurt him greatly. "How are you feeling?"

Leon didn't fully expect him to reply by speaking, but a gesture was made. Mathias clenched his fist as tight as he could. This cheered Leon up a little bit.

"Well, Mathias, I'm pleased to say that our company remains undefeated in the East. Istanbul will be ours before long."

Sara, who had been sitting next to her soon-to-be-husband in the chair, went and placed the roses she had brought with her on a table near the bed, "I picked these for you, my lord. I hope they help make you healthy again soon."

Mathias nodded once in thanks, and Sara smiled before going back to her chair again, "I'm sure...that they will. Thank you-" He managed to get those words out before he starting coughing fiercely. He calmed down after a few minutes.

"Try not to speak, Mathias-"

The lord fell silent as a hand was raised to stop him. Mathias smiled, "Oh Leon, such a lovely gesture cannot be thanked properly without words. But Sara, you're looking quite lovely if I may say."

Sara bowed her head once with a smile.

"It's a shame that I won't be able to celebrate your union tomorrow. I really wanted to be there."

"Your health means a lot to us too. Leon speaks highly of you, and I know he'd be saddened to see you get worse to just be at our wedding." There was no way that Mathias could fight Sara on this. Even Leon had trouble talking her out of things. "You stay here, and we'll visit you after the reception."

"Very well...I will. But, Sara...if its not too much trouble, I need to have some words with Leon. Alone, please."

Sara looked up at Leon, "Then I shall wait outside for you Leon." She stood up, bowing again to Mathias, "Good day, Lord Cronqvist. Hope you feel better soon."

Mathias nodded again, and watched as Sara left the room, with the maid following her and closing the door behind her.

As soon as the click was heard of the door latching shut, Leon sat down in Sara's chair, "What is it that you want with me? Nothing too urgent I hope?"

"Actually, it concerns you more than you'd think," Mathias answered, entering a coughing fit once again. Leon wondered if he'd be able to tell him without throwing up a lung.

"There have been monsters seen lurking in you land. The Church is having trouble finding out where they are coming from."

Leon stood up, "I have heard. I tried to appeal to the church about have a small amount of our company battle them, but they refuse. The Crusades are too important compared to the lands of a Baron and his lady."

"I pray they do not come into your reception with Sara tomorrow."

"I'll make sure our defenses are tight, thank you for your words."

Mathias shifted in his bed, "That's not all."

"What?"

"I've heard rumors of a forest...somewhere near the border between us and the lower countries, of a forest called Eternal Night," Mathias coughed again, sweat starting to drip from his forehead. "Rumors...about a vampire in a castle..."

"Vampire? They're no different than the monsters. Scum of darkness."

"Yes, but this one has an agenda-" he coughed again, wheezing and placing a hand to his chest as if it was hard to breath.  
Leon ran to his aid, "Mathias!"

The maid from before ran into the room, followed by Sara, concern all over her lovely face. The maid grabbed some water in a cup and gave it to Mathias.

The man drank it slowly, but once he was finished he gathered his breath back. "-the vampire wants Sara..."

Leon stopped, grabbing Sara by the shoulders and pulling her to him. "How would you know this Mathias?"

"Because...he was going to go for the ladies of the noble houses in the region...but since..." Mathias looked to the wall next to his bed, where the portrait of his recently deceased wife Elizabetha was hanging. "Since Elizabetha is gone...he is now going to go for the next one in line..." He fell back to his pillow, breathing heavily. "I'm sorry Leon..."

Mathias closed his eyes and his breathing lessened. For a moment, Leon believed his friend had just died before his eyes, but it became clear soon enough that he had merely passed out.

As Mathias lay resting, Leon looked at Sara, and wondered how he was going to defend her from that which hides in darkness.

The ride home from Mathias's castle was quiet. Leon looked particularly grim while Sara tried to remain calm in her own way. She couldn't believe that a vampire would come after her, if the rumor was true. But as Leon had told her once, vampires usually kept their word.

It was beginning to get dark when they returned to Castle Belmont. Almost immediately Leon doubled the guard around the castle. Every possible entrance into the castle was sealed. All the windows were closed, all the doors shut tight and locked. Crosses were set everywhere and fires were set up on each corner of the castle for extra light. Guards were placed in each hall and at least one was set at the doors of each room.

While this went on, Sara waited in her room, having personally sealed her balcony windows herself. She had a candle on her table next to the vase of red roses Leon had given her the week before as her only light in the room, besides the full moon that was shinning past the clouds. A knock on her door got her attention, and when she answered, it was Leon who entered. He was more alert than she had ever seen him before.

"You should be safe now. This place is now locked down tight."

"Leon..."

The man put his hands on her shoulders, "Sara, I won't let anything happen to you."

Sara believed that he would protect her with all his power, even if he had to die trying. Still, she tried to reassure him that everything would be alright, she smiled, "I know you won't."

Leon tried to sound sure of himself before, but now that Sara was trying to cheer him up he felt he could take on the vampire that threatened to come take her away. He leaned in and kissed her quickly, "I'll stay with you here until sunrise-"

As he pulled back from kissing his fiance, Leon noticed that he could see his breath. The air had gone extremely cold. He gasped.

Sara felt the air chill her body, the warmth between herself and Leon disappeared almost immediately. She tried to warm herself by rubbing her arms with her hands. Leon held her to his chest, protectively putting his arms around her.

His gaze went to the large windows leading to the balcony outside.

The glass was frosted.

On the table where the red roses were, the flowers were frosted as well, before they quickly wilted before the lovers' eyes.

The candle light keeping the light in the room as well as the final source of warmth, went out in a split second.

Sara was beginning to get scared, "Leon-"

The door that led into her room shut on its own, and locked itself.

A gust of wind came and blew the doors open, a rush of cold air came in like a storm. Leon and Sara were separated right away, with Leon seeing a shadowy figure standing in the doorway. A figure with crimson red eyes shinning in the darkness.

Leon was sent flying before he could reach for his sword, hitting the wall behind him with enough force to knock the air out of his lungs.  
As he lay on the floor, still knocked partially unconscious, he could hear Sara shrieking, as well as seeing the blurry vision of her being carried out the door.

"LEON!"

Instantly hearing his name, Leon desperately crawled towards his woman while trying to get to his feet, but he was unable to catch her before they were gone. Both Sara and the figure were gone.

"No! Sara!" Leon fell to his knees, feeling the worst he had ever felt in his life.

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**A/N:** _Lament of Innocence_ is my favorite game in the Castlevania series, and this is a tribute to the game. Hope you guys enjoyed this.


End file.
